"I'm old, I can't play that many matches" - Nadal on grass tennis

Rafael Nadal played his first match on grass in three years yesterday and speaking to reports he admitted his age doesn't allow him to play much grass tennis anymore.

Back in his early days, the former World No. 1 used to play either in the Queen's Club Championships or the Halle Open as part of his preparations for Wimbledon. But he has not shown up in either event since 2015, coming straight to SW19 following his stint at the French Open.

He explained:

"Honestly, for me, it is positive to play a couple of matches before the competition starts at Wimbledon. I used to play at Queen’s a long time ago. I am older now, I can’t manage to play so many matches!"

The Hurlingham Classic, therefore, comes as a welcome relief for the 36-year-old, who got a chance to test his skills on the grasscourt before moving on to Wimbledon next week. It was a good start with a 6-2 6-3 win over Wawrinka.